This revamped sushi omakase now offers the best of both worlds.
Sushi Ichika — the sushi counter within Tempura Ichika in the Ala Moana neighborhood — used to only feature sushi in its omakase. Now, the omakase includes tempura as one of the courses, and customers also have the option to order off an a la carte tempura menu (at an additional cost). The a la carte tempura offering is designed to provide customers with more flexibility in their dining experience.
The revamped omakase ($160), which started this past month, features a variety of Edomae sushi and artisanal tempura, along with seasonal ingredients. There are two seatings for the omakase — 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. — and the counter seats seven people.
The eatery now also offers curated sake pairings ($20 or $30) featuring premium labels to enhance its sushi and tempura.
The omakase begins with an appetizer of chutoro and Kuromutsu snapper sashimi. Both are buttery, tender and fresh — an excellent start to the dining experience.
Next comes Mutsu nigiri, scallop nigiri, mountain yam with cucumber, and salmon eggs. Black mutsu nigiri is known for its buttery, rich texture; the mountain yam dish served as a nice palate cleanser.
The ikura over rice in a petite bowl delivered refreshing bursts of flavor.
The tempura course featured maitake mushroom, shiso leaf and sea bass. The tempura is delicate, flaky and ultra crispy; while all three pieces were enjoyable, the sea bass was my favorite. The tempura is served with salt for dipping.
The tempura course is followed by tuna with yuzu skin, sea snail, and a mix of Hokkaido crab and uni. The latter is savory and indulgent, with a delicate sweetness from the Hokkaido crab.
Next comes a saba handroll. The saba itself isn’t overly fishy, and we especially love the crispy nori.
At this point, customers are invited to order from the eatery’s a la carte tempura menu. This menu highlights peak-season ingredients, including Hokkaido uni and kisu (Japanese whiting fish).
We opted for the premium sea urchin tempura ($30) — which features your choice of dried seaweed, shiso leaf or konbu seaweed — scallop ($15) and vegetable kakiage ($10). This was my first time having Bafun uni tempura, and it was just as luxurious as I imagined — the crispy, delicate, battered exterior contrasted nicely with the creamy uni, and the dried seaweed enhanced its salty flavor. The tender scallops and ultra crispy kakiage were also fine choices.
The last few courses feature otoro; cooked shrimp with garlic and miso sauce; an uni handroll; miso soup; anago; tamago and yuzu sorbet. Otoro is always a treat — the premium, fatty cut is so buttery — and creamy sorbet ends things on a refreshing note.
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CONTACT
Sushi Ichika (sushi counter within Tempura Ichika)
434 Piʻikoi St, Honolulu
ichikahawaii.com
Instagram: @tempura_ichika
Two seatings at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Mondays-Tuesdays, Thursdays-Saturdays (closed Sundays and Wednesdays)
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
